Egg Package Assembly

ABSTRACT

An egg package assembly includes a protective case that contains predetermined number of eggs and a sleeve that fixedly surrounds the protective case. The protective case comprises a base and a lid. The sleeve comprises a thin packing film that is shrunk by heat. The sleeve is provided having a length similar to that of the case and a width wider than that of the case. After heat shrinking, the sleeve conforms to the shape of the case and fixed to the case. The length of the sleeve shrinks and allows the ends of the case to be exposed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a film sleeve for an egg package. More particularly, the present invention relates to an egg package assembly that can prevent accidental opening or tampering of egg packages.

An egg package is used to convey eggs from the producer to the consumer in a safe and stable state. Since the eggs are fragile and easily broken, an egg package is made with shock absorbing material such as carton or foam plastic and has an upper part and a lower part that is usually connected with a hinge to allow access to the eggs packed.

The disadvantage of egg packages by prior art is that they are often opened accidentally or tampered with by consumers and eggs may be broken by improper handling. This increases distribution cost of eggs and dissatisfaction of the customers. An egg package that has tamper evident function has long been in need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention contrives to solve the disadvantages of the prior art.

An objective of the invention is to provide an egg package that has a sleeve showing tamper evidence.

Another objective of the invention is to provide an egg package that prevents accidental opening of the package and therefore a reduction in breakage from handling.

In order to achieve the above objective, the present invention provides an egg package assembly comprising a protective case that is adapted to contain a predetermined number of eggs and a sleeve that fixedly surrounds the protective case. The protective case comprises a base and a lid. The sleeve comprises a thin packing film.

The predetermined number is 6, 12, 18 or 24.

The base and lid of the protective case comprise projections that are adapted to separate eggs.

Preferably, the base and lid of the protective case are made of molded fiberboard.

The sleeve comprises a heat shrink film.

The heat shrink film is made of PVC, PET, PLA or OPS.

The heat shrink film has a thickness in a range from about 45μ to about 60μ.

The heat shrink film comprises has a shape of a tube before it is shrunk. The length of the tube is about the length of the protective case and the width of the tube is about 8 mm to about 14 mm greater than the width of the protective case.

The heat shrink film is shrunk by heating at temperature from about 65 Celsius to about 90 degree Celsius for about 4 to about 5 seconds.

The heat shrink film shrinks about 30 to 40% in width and no greater than about 6% in length.

The advantages of the present invention are: (1) tampering of an egg package is prevented; (2) accidental opening of an egg package is prevented; and (3) the sleeve may be used for high quality printing surface.

Although the present invention is briefly summarized, the fuller understanding of the invention can be obtained by the following drawings, detailed description and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a sleeving equipment according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of a sleeve control jig;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of the sleeve control jig showing that a sleeve is held by the jig with vacuum;

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the sleeve control jig showing that the jig is lowered;

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the sleeve control jig showing that the sleeve is rotated by 90 degrees;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the sleeve control jig showing the egg package is being inserted into the sleeve;

FIG. 7 is an elevation view of the sleeve control jig showing a first arm and a second arm are released from the sleeve;

FIG. 8 is an elevation view of the sleeve control jig and a second egg package conveying device; and

FIG. 9 is an elevation view of a third egg package conveying device and a heat tunnel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a sleeving equipment 10 for egg package that includes a sleeve dispenser 12 that is adapted to dispense a sleeve 14 one by one, a sleeve control jig 16 that is adapted to control the sleeve 14 that is dispensed by the sleeve dispenser 12, a first egg package conveying device 18 that is adapted to convey one or more egg packages 20 before the sleeve 14 is positioned around the egg package 20, an egg package inserter 22 (refer to FIG. 6) that is adapted to insert the egg package 20 into the sleeve 14, a second egg package conveying device 24 that is adapted to convey the egg package 20 and the sleeve 14 placed around the egg package 20 after the sleeve 14 is positioned around the egg package 20, a heat tunnel 26 that is adapted to heat shrink the sleeve 14 whereby the sleeve 14 is fixed to the egg package 20, and a third egg package conveying device 25 that is adapted to move the egg package with the sleeve through the heat tunnel 26.

The egg packages 20 are aligned while they are conveyed by the first egg package conveying device 18.

FIG. 3 shows that the sleeve 14 is held by the sleeve control jig 16. The sleeve dispenser 12 dispenses the sleeve 14 in vertical direction, and the sleeve control jig 16 rotates the sleeve 14 into horizontal direction before the egg package inserter 22 inserts the egg package 20 into the sleeve 14 as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. The egg package inserter 22 inserts the egg package 20 into the sleeve 14 horizontally. When the egg package 20 is inserted into the sleeve 14, product verification is performed to check proper matching of the sleeve and the egg package.

The sleeve control jig 16 comprises a first arm 28 and a second arm 30 that is provided opposite to the first arm 28. The sleeve 14 is held between the first arm 28 and the second arm 30 with vacuum applied on the first arm 28 and the second arm 30. The first arm 28 and the second arm 30 are rotatable and retractable.

The sleeve control jig 16 positions the sleeve 14 to a predetermined position. A stepping motor is used to feed the sleeve. When an eye mark is read by a sensor, the stepping motor stops to cut and feed the sleeve.

FIG. 7 shows that the sleeve control jig 16 releases the sleeve 14 after the egg package 20 is inserted into the sleeve 14 by retracting the first arm 28 and the second arm 30. FIG. 8 shows that the sleeve control jig 16 is returned after releasing the sleeve.

The heat tunnel 26 has inside temperature in a range from about 65 degree Celsius to about 90 degree Celsius and applies heat to the sleeve 14 from about 4 to about 5 seconds.

The egg package inserter 22 comprises a push stick or sticks 33 that is/are adapted to push the egg package 20 into the sleeve 14.

Referring to FIG. 7, an egg package assembly 34 comprises the egg package or a protective case 36 that is adapted to contain predetermined number of eggs and the sleeve 14 that fixedly surrounds the protective case 36. The protective case 36 comprises a base 38 and a lid 40. Referring to FIG. 2, the sleeve 14 comprises a thin packing film 42.

The predetermined number may be 6, 12, 18, 24 or other number of eggs of commonly used egg packages. The base 38 or lid 40 of the protective case 36 comprise projections 44 that are adapted to separate eggs. Preferably, the base 38 and lid 40 of the protective case 36 are made of molded fiberboard.

The sleeve 14 comprises a heat shrink film 46. Preferably, the heat shrink film 46 is made of PVC, PET or OPS. The heat shrink film 46 has a thickness in a range from about 45μ to about 60μ.

The heat shrink film 46 comprises has a shape of a tube 48 before it is shrunk. The length of the tube 48 is about the length of the protective case 36 and the width of the tube 48 is about 8 mm to about 14 mm greater than the width of the protective case 36.

Referring to FIG. 9, the heat shrink film 46 is shrunk by heating at temperature from about 65 Celsius to about 90 degree Celsius for about 4 to about 5 seconds in the heat tunnel 32.

The heat shrink film shrinks about 35% in width and no greater than 6% in length.

The present invention is further explained below.

The size of the shrink sleeve to be applied to the egg carton for purposes of tamper evidence, ensuring the carton remains closed in shipment and providing a surface for high quality printing to assist in the sales and marketing of the eggs in the carton is determined by the carton itself. The sleeve prior to shrinking would be cut to the exact length of the carton and would have be seamed into a tube that would be 8 mm to 14 mm greater than the circumference of the specific egg carton at it's widest point. The thickness of the sleeve material would be between 45μ to 60μ PVC, PET or OPS shrink film.

After the carton is inserted into the shrink sleeve it is conveyed into a 1500 mm dry heat tunnel with a temperature setting between 65° Celsius and 90° Celsius and will travel through the tunnel for four (4) to five (5) seconds. This will shrink the sleeve approximately 35% in the cross direction around the circumference of the carton and no greater than 6% in the machine direction or length of the carton allowing the majority of the vertical end walls of the carton to remain exposed. The sleeve will conform to the general shape of the egg carton.

The sleeves may be applied to cartons made of formed or molded fiberboard or various formed plastics the thickness of which is not critical to this application and is variable dependent upon the material and manufacturing specification of the carton. The egg carton size would be for six (6), twelve (12), eighteen (18) or twenty-four (24) pack cartons and specific size would be determined by the carton manufacturer, egg packer and or retailer.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to different embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations in form, detail, compositions and operation may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims. 

1. An egg package assembly comprising: a) a protective case that is adapted to contain predetermined number of eggs; and b) a sleeve that fixedly surrounds the protective case; wherein the protective case comprises a base and a lid, wherein the sleeve comprises a thin packing film.
 2. The egg package assembly of claim 1, wherein the predetermined number is 6, 12, 18 or
 24. 3. The egg package assembly of claim 1, wherein the base and lid of the protective case comprise projections that are adapted to separate eggs.
 4. The egg package assembly of claim 1, wherein the base and lid of the protective case are made of molded fiberboard or various plastics.
 5. The egg package assembly of claim 1, wherein the sleeve comprises a heat shrink film.
 6. The egg package assembly of claim 5, wherein the heat shrink film is made of PVC, PET, PLA or OPS.
 7. The egg package assembly of claim 5, wherein the heat shrink film has a thickness in a range from about 45μ to about 60μ.
 8. The egg package assembly of claim 5, wherein the heat shrink film comprises has a shape of a tube before it is shrunk, wherein the length of the tube is about the length of the protective case and the width of the tube is about 8 mm to about 14 mm greater than the width of the protective case.
 9. The egg package assembly of claim 5, wherein the heat shrink film is shrunk by heating at temperature from about 65 Celsius to about 90 degree Celsius for about 4 to about 5 seconds.
 10. The egg package assembly of claim 9, wherein the heat shrink film shrinks about 30 to 40% in width and no greater than about 6% in length. 